My Soulmate is A Libero
Qin Chunxiao’s journey through the Asian Games could be summed up as enjoyable. Although the competitions were tough, he managed to take a trip to the Ragunan Zoo.
While it might not have pandas named Ruyi who could paint like in Russia, nor a place to buy panda ink treasures, it did have many gorillas!
Perhaps due to his frequent interactions with gorilla-style athletes, Qin Chunxiao had a good impression of these creatures. He even found certain gorillas quite handsome in appearance.
By the way, that famous panda named Ruyi, also known as Ruyisuki, only started working in Russia in 2019. Currently, Ruyi was still at home, enjoying a leisurely life.
Unfortunately, after the conclusion of the Asian Games, Qin Chunxiao was struck down by injuries. If it were just issues with his wrist and shoulder, he could still go out for a run occasionally. However, with his right calf muscles also strained and inflamed, Qin Chunxiao had no choice but to follow the doctor’s orders and stay at home, spending his days eating, drinking, and reading.
Coincidentally, when they returned from the Jakarta Asian Games, Typhoon Mangkhut also made landfall in Guangdong. Now, not only were many coastal area athletes restricted from going out, but Qin Chunxiao’s school also declared a break. Everyone was stuck at home self-reviewing.
Qin Chunxiao’s class monitor complained in the class group chat, “Our batch is so unlucky. We’re entering the senior year and already have to study at home.”
Qin Chunxiao wanted to tell him that their batch wasn’t really unlucky because they took the college entrance exam in the summer of 2019. It was the three batches after them that had it tough.
In reality, there wasn’t much that a reincarnated person could do. Qin Chunxiao could hardly influence significant events like the weather. The most significant impact he made was winning the World Youth Championships and aiding Newton in becoming the national team’s head coach ahead of schedule.
After that, there wasn’t much else. Newton himself accomplished all the other changes, sending the talents he could spare to strong leagues for improvement. He also helped players like Tong Shulan, Ding Rong, Gao Depi, and others who were dealing with injuries transition successfully. The players’ skills significantly improved, allowing them to shine on the world stage.
Lu Xuandong’s fate changed significantly as well, but Qin Chunxiao played only a supporting role. The case was solved by Police Officer Lu Xiaodan, and it was Lu Xiaodan who saved Mei Xiangnan. As long as Luan Xuandong remained healthy, whether it was his biological father Lu Hao, biological mother Zhao Zhaoyan, or younger brother Lu Yunchen, they all managed themselves, taking care of things properly.
Outsiders said that it took about a year for Lu Xuandong to become the young master of Zhe Yue, and he must have had deep scheming and extraordinary methods. However, those who knew the truth understood that this guy treated his family really well. He suppressed and tolerated most of his family members’ unreliable behavior.
Logic told Qin Chunxiao that Lu Xuandong was a busy person now. He had to manage Zhe Yue and start his own business. In the latter half of the year, he would be studying abroad in London. He must be incredibly busy.
However, when Lu Xuandong invited him to dinner, Qin Chunxiao happily agreed. Someone had made delicious food for him, and he wouldn’t want to waste such good food!
But after the meal, Qin Chunxiao reflected a bit. He wondered if he had been too casual with Lu Xuandong. Even though they were soulmates, he couldn’t keep relying on him for meals. Moreover, he let Lu Xuandong drive him back home after dinner, and he didn’t even chip in for gas money. He only brought his mouth, which could eat and make demands.
So, before departing for St. Petersburg, Qin Chunxiao spent a day at the arcade, breaking several machine records. He managed to win the biggest Bonny Bunny doll in the arcade’s prize area. He also bought a woolen coat from a mall, carrying both gifts to Lu Xuandong’s house.
Lu Xuandong was away on a business trip, so Qin Chunxiao used his fingerprint to unlock the door. He placed the big bunny doll and the coat on the sofa, leaving a note.
“I heard London is much colder than Guangzhou. Sending you a furry two-piece set.”
It wasn’t that Qin Chunxiao didn’t want to give a more expensive gift. It was just that he didn’t think Lu Xuan Dong would accept it. After all, they were only friends, and Qin Chunxiao was also short on money.
In August, he had divided his remaining money into three parts. The largest portion went into a fixed deposit for future house purchasing. The second portion was reserved for his future living expenses abroad. The third portion was entirely donated.
He donated a part to various charity platforms. When he had a few thousand left, he happened to chat with Alexander and learned about two relatives from single-parent families. One had a mother with late-stage cancer, the sister was also in poor health, and the handsome younger brother was considering accepting the pursuit of a wealthy man -45 years old- in exchange for money. Alexander intervened and stopped it.
Qin Chunxiao directly gave the remaining money to Alexander, asking him to pass it to the mother with late-stage cancer. Perhaps due to Lu Xuandong’s influence, Qin Chunxiao felt deeply touched by situations where parents were ill, and their children were willing to do anything for money.
Back when Xuan Dong was going through such difficult times, as his soulmate, Qin Chunxiao was living somewhere in the world, unaware and ignorant.
While Xuan Dong sang on the streets to support his mother and sister, Qin Chunxiao was being fed by his mother and receiving tutoring from his sister. While Lu Xuandong struggled with mental disorders, Qin Chunxiao was in Brazil, receiving careful guidance from the renowned coach Mars. This continued until they found themselves on the same flight, and the Lu Xuandong who had endured so much suffering gave his all to protect Qin Chunxiao.
Lu Xuandong could make many sacrifices for him, yet he hadn’t done much for Xuan Dong. Seeing a similar situation now, Qin Chunxiao couldn’t help but offer his help.
Three days later, Lu Xuandong received the gift. He looked at the furry two-piece set, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He put on the woolen coat, holding the bunny doll as he walked to the mirror, turned around, and took a selfie to send to Qin Chunxiao.
There was no immediate response. Lu Xuandong thought for a moment and realized that Qin Chunxiao might still be on the plane. He wasn’t in a hurry, so he put on the woolen coat, sat on the couch in his office, and kept the air conditioning low.
Two hours later, Qin Chunxiao replied, “Isn’t it hot to wear a woolen coat in Guangzhou at the end of September?”
Lu Xuandong replied, “It’s fine.”
When Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling arrived in St. Petersburg, Natasha drove to pick them up again. The old lady had silver hair curled into waves and wore a leather jacket and pants. She was accompanied by a sturdy old man who was said to be her boyfriend – a weightlifting coach in his fifties, twelve years younger than Natasha.
Li Ling was in awe, and a sentence rushed on the tip of their tongues, but he managed to hold it back.
An hour later, they arrived at the Hamster Club.
Anton was waiting at the entrance. When he saw Qin Chunxiao, he ran over, wailing as he crashed into him. After subconsciously pushing Anton away, Qin Chunxiao found him lying on the ground, howling in sorrow. Not a tear came out.
“Misha, you jerk! It’s all your fault that we couldn’t win the VNL this year because of you guys!”
The Russian team’s performance was affected in the VNL semifinals due to their intense match against the Chinese team. By the time they faced France, the entire team was exhausted, and they only brought home a silver medal.
Qin Chunxiao poked him, still squatting down. “I haven’t said that it’s because of you that the Chinese team only made it to the semifinals.”
Anton blinked, realizing that if the Chinese team hadn’t lost to the Russian team, they would have claimed the silver medal. Considering the attributes of the Chinese and French teams, a gold medal wasn’t out of reach.
He got up and hugged Qin Chunxiao. “I forgive you.”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “… Oh.”
Soso also joined them. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you guys. I really missed you.”
Qin Chunxiao responded, “With your serves, I thought I’d see you on the Russian VNL team. Then we could have met earlier.”
Soso smiled wryly. “I did make it to the national team roster, but I had a minor ankle ligament issue and had a small surgery.”
Injuries could always hinder athletes indefinitely. Everyone present understood this, they were all athletes.
As the recognized strongest foreign aid in the Russian Super League, the club’s de facto second-in-command, Qin Chunxiao’s arrival was a source of joy for the club members.
That day, Anton and Soso took Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling to Alexander’s estate. This retired friend, who had turned to beekeeping and flower cultivation, was doing well. Even though it was already cold in late September in Russia, his greenhouse was blooming with flowers from various seasons. The fragrance was so intense it felt like a spot in heaven.
Qin Chunxiao enjoyed delicious pancakes and received a large jar of candy. He even petted the sheep raised by Alexander’s family.
Before leaving, Alexander gave Qin Chunxiao a big bunch of his own cultivated bird-of-paradise flowers. The flower’s meaning was “free and easy.” Of course, it also had romantic connotations. Many flowers had meanings related to love, but Alexander’s intention was clearly the former.
“I received the money from you and gave it to the siblings, so keep playing freely on the court.” Alexander grinned. “When you guys are competing, I’ll come watch.”
Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling rested for two days. On the third day, the returning athletes needed to undergo physical tests as per the regulations. Qin Chunxiao passed successfully, and Nikolai was satisfied with his data. “I thought your month-long injury would affect your condition, but you’ve maintained it well.”
Especially with his body fat percentage at nine percent, which was an ideal value. It didn’t hinder his performance, and a moderate amount of fat could enhance an athlete’s injury resistance. It seemed Newton had helped adjust this.
“Starting this year, you and Soso will have more responsibilities within the team,” Nikolai told them. Then he changed the subject, “But I’ve also found two good assistants for you guys. They’re currently packing their bags at home and will join us in a couple of days.”
Qin Chunxiao knew that new players were joining the club.
On their way back, Li Ling curiously asked, “Xiao Zi, what kind of players do you think will join the club this time?”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “Either experienced veterans or promising newcomers.”
Li Ling asked, “Huh? Why?”
Qin Chunxiao: “Because after renewing with us and Anton, the club’s salary cap is already limited.”
Anton was currently the best setter in Russia, and he had already become a key player for the national team during the VNL. Qin Chunxiao, on the other hand, holds the honor of being an Asian Free Man, a title that signifies being one of the most efficient defensive players against power hitters in the world. Along with Li Ling, who was like a nerve knife that could be used alongside Qin Chunxiao, the Hamster Club had to pay a hefty price to retain them.
Sure enough, when the Hamster Club began its first training camp, Nikolai brought an experienced player forward: “This is Gregory, who came from beach volleyball. He has well-rounded skills and will become our new starting opposite hitter this season.”
Gregory was a red-haired man with blue greenish eyes, standing at a height of 6 feet 8 inches. His best achievement in beach volleyball was sixth place at the World Championships. Because his partner retired and got married, he decided to switch to indoor volleyball.
At 28 years old, he could indeed be considered a veteran. After some time away from playing on the beach, his skin had returned to the average fair complexion of Slavic people. Upon closer inspection, his features were not particularly refined, but the colors on him were intense—a combination of red, green, and white that gave off a dazzling feeling.
Another handsome player from beach volleyball.
Li Ling whispered to Qin Chunxiao, “Xiaoqin, is it easy to find handsome guys in beach volleyball?”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “Not all of them in beach volleyball are handsome.”
To be fair, Xiaole’s ex-boyfriend wasn’t ugly. He was tall and had a good physique. Coming from an educated family, he belonged to a relatively popular type when it came to choosing a partner. However, considering Qin Chunxiao’s aesthetic preferences, Xiaole’s ex-boyfriend’s face could only score 5 out of 10.
By the way, in Qin Chunxiao’s eyes, Chang Xiaole’s face could score a 9, belonging to the kind of person both men and women would want to call “My Waifu,” a spicy, ceiling-breaking type. Lu Xuandong and Qin Chunfeng were 10 out of 10, the only two perfect scores in Qin Chunxiao’s aesthetics.
This newcomer, Grigory, could score a 7, but his temperament was quite unique, giving him an overall score of 8.5.
Li Ling nodded in agreement, “True.”
The second new player for the club was named Ruslan. He also had green eyes and blonde hair, with well-defined features. He was the epitome of a traditional Slavic handsome guy, standing at a height of 6 feet 10 inches.
Qin Chunxiao seriously suspected that Nikolai had recruited based on looks this year.
Nikolai introduced, “Ruslan won a silver medal and the Best Opposite Hitter award at last year’s Junior World Championship. He’s the same age as Misha, 17 years old this year.”
Qin Chunxiao thought, “I know. This kid is Russia’s best starting opposite hitter in the Paris Olympics cycle.”
Nikolai had actually brought in a 17-year-old future national team starter. Considering the Hamster Club’s financial situation, Ruslan’s annual salary wouldn’t exceed 200,000.
It seemed Nikolai had once again made a very shrewd deal.
Ruslan seemed quiet. When Nikolai announced that the athletes should line up for a run, he wanted to stand behind Qin Chunxiao. Li Ling coughed and took the spot, so Ruslan stood behind Li Ling. He spoke softly, “You can call me Rus.”
His friendly attitude made it hard for Li Ling to put on a serious face. “Then you can call me Tulengchika.”
Qin Chunxiao turned around and said briefly, “Misha.”
Nikolai clapped his hands, “Start with 10 laps for warm-up, then move on to serving practice.”
Compared to Newton, who was always developing tactics involving swing hitters, Nikolai’s coaching approach during the Tokyo Olympics cycle was consistent: regardless of the tactics, players who trained under him had to excel at serving. Sometimes, they would rotate for six rounds, and every round players had to serve well. This was his personal ideal state.
This reminded Qin Chunxiao of the coach of the Hubei Provincial Team back in China. That coach also liked training exceptional servers, and You Ziyu was his masterpiece. Even now, his powerful serves were a weapon feared by many strong teams.
If the coach from Hubei Provincial Team could exchange ideas with Nikolai, they might quickly become good friends.
Coincidentally, Qin Chunxiao also wanted to practice his float serves. In the current state of the Chinese team, he was set to alternate between the receiving and libero positions. With that in mind, there would always be moments when they needed him to serve. Strengthening his serving skills wouldn’t hurt.
To enhance team cohesion, they only trained indoors for less than two days before Nikolai took them for outdoor team training in the suburbs.
During training, Li Ling noticed a bear staring at them from a distance.
Nikolai raised his hand and reassured, “Don’t worry, that’s the bear raised by the neighboring farmer!”
Sure enough, after a while, the farmer’s young daughter came and led the bear away.
How should I put it, every time Qin Chunxiao told himself not to have any stereotypical impressions of Russians, this group of Russians reinforced his stereotypes with their actions! Fortunately, the teammates also showed expressions of shock when they saw the bear, which made Qin Chunxiao felt like he was a normal person after all.
While the coaches were in an off-road vehicle heading to a nearby lake for fishing, they also saw a pack of wolves chasing a car. Well, Qin Chunxiao was in the car, and the wolves couldn’t catch up to the vehicle anyway. Considering he had seen bears and even his own bear before, he didn’t really care about the wolves. So, he excitedly raised his phone to capture the scene.
The teammates of the Hamster Club looked at Qin Chunxiao and couldn’t help but feel that something was off. They found it quite eerie to imagine being chased by wolves.
Danny and Soso whispered, “Why do I always feel like Misha is even more Russian than we are?”
Soso added, “You are Russian yourself, so don’t have stereotypes about your own country, okay? Regardless of Misha’s boldness, it’s not related to his nationality.”
However, when Qin Chunxiao later posted the video of the wolves chasing the car on his social media, no matter how many times he explained, “The wolves can’t catch up to the car, I’m perfectly safe,” there were still many people in the comments saying he was acting too Russian.
The official account of the Hamster Club responded to these comments: Boldness or timidity are individual traits. Don’t generalize to the whole group and create stereotypes based on this. Normal Russians wouldn’t get so excited about wolves chasing cars either.
After the official account of the Hamster Club appeared, the comments section filled with even more laughter.
Qin Chunxiao didn’t understand why everyone wasn’t paying attention to the shiny fur of the wolves. Frustrated, he closed his social media and lay on his bed listening to music.
After a while, Lu Xuandong sent him a message.
Lu Xuandong: [I’ve arrived in London. The fur of the wolves is so beautiful, no wonder you like them so much.]
Apart from this message, he also sent a photo: a tall man holding a Bonnie Rabbit, smiling in the wind, with a huge Ferris wheel in the background. It was the 135-meter-tall London Eye, located on the banks of the River Thames.
Qin Chunxiao immediately sat up and started chatting with Lu Xuandong.
My Soulmate is A Libero
Qin Chunxiao’s journey through the Asian Games could be summed up as enjoyable. Although the competitions were tough, he managed to take a trip to the Ragunan Zoo.
While it might not have pandas named Ruyi who could paint like in Russia, nor a place to buy panda ink treasures, it did have many gorillas!
Perhaps due to his frequent interactions with gorilla-style athletes, Qin Chunxiao had a good impression of these creatures. He even found certain gorillas quite handsome in appearance.
By the way, that famous panda named Ruyi, also known as Ruyisuki, only started working in Russia in 2019. Currently, Ruyi was still at home, enjoying a leisurely life.
Unfortunately, after the conclusion of the Asian Games, Qin Chunxiao was struck down by injuries. If it were just issues with his wrist and shoulder, he could still go out for a run occasionally. However, with his right calf muscles also strained and inflamed, Qin Chunxiao had no choice but to follow the doctor’s orders and stay at home, spending his days eating, drinking, and reading.
Coincidentally, when they returned from the Jakarta Asian Games, Typhoon Mangkhut also made landfall in Guangdong. Now, not only were many coastal area athletes restricted from going out, but Qin Chunxiao’s school also declared a break. Everyone was stuck at home self-reviewing.
Qin Chunxiao’s class monitor complained in the class group chat, “Our batch is so unlucky. We’re entering the senior year and already have to study at home.”
Qin Chunxiao wanted to tell him that their batch wasn’t really unlucky because they took the college entrance exam in the summer of 2019. It was the three batches after them that had it tough.
In reality, there wasn’t much that a reincarnated person could do. Qin Chunxiao could hardly influence significant events like the weather. The most significant impact he made was winning the World Youth Championships and aiding Newton in becoming the national team’s head coach ahead of schedule.
After that, there wasn’t much else. Newton himself accomplished all the other changes, sending the talents he could spare to strong leagues for improvement. He also helped players like Tong Shulan, Ding Rong, Gao Depi, and others who were dealing with injuries transition successfully. The players’ skills significantly improved, allowing them to shine on the world stage.
Lu Xuandong’s fate changed significantly as well, but Qin Chunxiao played only a supporting role. The case was solved by Police Officer Lu Xiaodan, and it was Lu Xiaodan who saved Mei Xiangnan. As long as Luan Xuandong remained healthy, whether it was his biological father Lu Hao, biological mother Zhao Zhaoyan, or younger brother Lu Yunchen, they all managed themselves, taking care of things properly.
Outsiders said that it took about a year for Lu Xuandong to become the young master of Zhe Yue, and he must have had deep scheming and extraordinary methods. However, those who knew the truth understood that this guy treated his family really well. He suppressed and tolerated most of his family members’ unreliable behavior.
Logic told Qin Chunxiao that Lu Xuandong was a busy person now. He had to manage Zhe Yue and start his own business. In the latter half of the year, he would be studying abroad in London. He must be incredibly busy.
However, when Lu Xuandong invited him to dinner, Qin Chunxiao happily agreed. Someone had made delicious food for him, and he wouldn’t want to waste such good food!
But after the meal, Qin Chunxiao reflected a bit. He wondered if he had been too casual with Lu Xuandong. Even though they were soulmates, he couldn’t keep relying on him for meals. Moreover, he let Lu Xuandong drive him back home after dinner, and he didn’t even chip in for gas money. He only brought his mouth, which could eat and make demands.
So, before departing for St. Petersburg, Qin Chunxiao spent a day at the arcade, breaking several machine records. He managed to win the biggest Bonny Bunny doll in the arcade’s prize area. He also bought a woolen coat from a mall, carrying both gifts to Lu Xuandong’s house.
Lu Xuandong was away on a business trip, so Qin Chunxiao used his fingerprint to unlock the door. He placed the big bunny doll and the coat on the sofa, leaving a note.
“I heard London is much colder than Guangzhou. Sending you a furry two-piece set.”
It wasn’t that Qin Chunxiao didn’t want to give a more expensive gift. It was just that he didn’t think Lu Xuan Dong would accept it. After all, they were only friends, and Qin Chunxiao was also short on money.
In August, he had divided his remaining money into three parts. The largest portion went into a fixed deposit for future house purchasing. The second portion was reserved for his future living expenses abroad. The third portion was entirely donated.
He donated a part to various charity platforms. When he had a few thousand left, he happened to chat with Alexander and learned about two relatives from single-parent families. One had a mother with late-stage cancer, the sister was also in poor health, and the handsome younger brother was considering accepting the pursuit of a wealthy man -45 years old- in exchange for money. Alexander intervened and stopped it.
Qin Chunxiao directly gave the remaining money to Alexander, asking him to pass it to the mother with late-stage cancer. Perhaps due to Lu Xuandong’s influence, Qin Chunxiao felt deeply touched by situations where parents were ill, and their children were willing to do anything for money.
Back when Xuan Dong was going through such difficult times, as his soulmate, Qin Chunxiao was living somewhere in the world, unaware and ignorant.
While Xuan Dong sang on the streets to support his mother and sister, Qin Chunxiao was being fed by his mother and receiving tutoring from his sister. While Lu Xuandong struggled with mental disorders, Qin Chunxiao was in Brazil, receiving careful guidance from the renowned coach Mars. This continued until they found themselves on the same flight, and the Lu Xuandong who had endured so much suffering gave his all to protect Qin Chunxiao.
Lu Xuandong could make many sacrifices for him, yet he hadn’t done much for Xuan Dong. Seeing a similar situation now, Qin Chunxiao couldn’t help but offer his help.
Three days later, Lu Xuandong received the gift. He looked at the furry two-piece set, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He put on the woolen coat, holding the bunny doll as he walked to the mirror, turned around, and took a selfie to send to Qin Chunxiao.
There was no immediate response. Lu Xuandong thought for a moment and realized that Qin Chunxiao might still be on the plane. He wasn’t in a hurry, so he put on the woolen coat, sat on the couch in his office, and kept the air conditioning low.
Two hours later, Qin Chunxiao replied, “Isn’t it hot to wear a woolen coat in Guangzhou at the end of September?”
Lu Xuandong replied, “It’s fine.”
When Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling arrived in St. Petersburg, Natasha drove to pick them up again. The old lady had silver hair curled into waves and wore a leather jacket and pants. She was accompanied by a sturdy old man who was said to be her boyfriend – a weightlifting coach in his fifties, twelve years younger than Natasha.
Li Ling was in awe, and a sentence rushed on the tip of their tongues, but he managed to hold it back.
An hour later, they arrived at the Hamster Club.
Anton was waiting at the entrance. When he saw Qin Chunxiao, he ran over, wailing as he crashed into him. After subconsciously pushing Anton away, Qin Chunxiao found him lying on the ground, howling in sorrow. Not a tear came out.
“Misha, you jerk! It’s all your fault that we couldn’t win the VNL this year because of you guys!”
The Russian team’s performance was affected in the VNL semifinals due to their intense match against the Chinese team. By the time they faced France, the entire team was exhausted, and they only brought home a silver medal.
Qin Chunxiao poked him, still squatting down. “I haven’t said that it’s because of you that the Chinese team only made it to the semifinals.”
Anton blinked, realizing that if the Chinese team hadn’t lost to the Russian team, they would have claimed the silver medal. Considering the attributes of the Chinese and French teams, a gold medal wasn’t out of reach.
He got up and hugged Qin Chunxiao. “I forgive you.”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “… Oh.”
Soso also joined them. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you guys. I really missed you.”
Qin Chunxiao responded, “With your serves, I thought I’d see you on the Russian VNL team. Then we could have met earlier.”
Soso smiled wryly. “I did make it to the national team roster, but I had a minor ankle ligament issue and had a small surgery.”
Injuries could always hinder athletes indefinitely. Everyone present understood this, they were all athletes.
As the recognized strongest foreign aid in the Russian Super League, the club’s de facto second-in-command, Qin Chunxiao’s arrival was a source of joy for the club members.
That day, Anton and Soso took Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling to Alexander’s estate. This retired friend, who had turned to beekeeping and flower cultivation, was doing well. Even though it was already cold in late September in Russia, his greenhouse was blooming with flowers from various seasons. The fragrance was so intense it felt like a spot in heaven.
Qin Chunxiao enjoyed delicious pancakes and received a large jar of candy. He even petted the sheep raised by Alexander’s family.
Before leaving, Alexander gave Qin Chunxiao a big bunch of his own cultivated bird-of-paradise flowers. The flower’s meaning was “free and easy.” Of course, it also had romantic connotations. Many flowers had meanings related to love, but Alexander’s intention was clearly the former.
“I received the money from you and gave it to the siblings, so keep playing freely on the court.” Alexander grinned. “When you guys are competing, I’ll come watch.”
Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling rested for two days. On the third day, the returning athletes needed to undergo physical tests as per the regulations. Qin Chunxiao passed successfully, and Nikolai was satisfied with his data. “I thought your month-long injury would affect your condition, but you’ve maintained it well.”
Especially with his body fat percentage at nine percent, which was an ideal value. It didn’t hinder his performance, and a moderate amount of fat could enhance an athlete’s injury resistance. It seemed Newton had helped adjust this.
“Starting this year, you and Soso will have more responsibilities within the team,” Nikolai told them. Then he changed the subject, “But I’ve also found two good assistants for you guys. They’re currently packing their bags at home and will join us in a couple of days.”
Qin Chunxiao knew that new players were joining the club.
On their way back, Li Ling curiously asked, “Xiao Zi, what kind of players do you think will join the club this time?”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “Either experienced veterans or promising newcomers.”
Li Ling asked, “Huh? Why?”
Qin Chunxiao: “Because after renewing with us and Anton, the club’s salary cap is already limited.”
Anton was currently the best setter in Russia, and he had already become a key player for the national team during the VNL. Qin Chunxiao, on the other hand, holds the honor of being an Asian Free Man, a title that signifies being one of the most efficient defensive players against power hitters in the world. Along with Li Ling, who was like a nerve knife that could be used alongside Qin Chunxiao, the Hamster Club had to pay a hefty price to retain them.
Sure enough, when the Hamster Club began its first training camp, Nikolai brought an experienced player forward: “This is Gregory, who came from beach volleyball. He has well-rounded skills and will become our new starting opposite hitter this season.”
Gregory was a red-haired man with blue greenish eyes, standing at a height of 6 feet 8 inches. His best achievement in beach volleyball was sixth place at the World Championships. Because his partner retired and got married, he decided to switch to indoor volleyball.
At 28 years old, he could indeed be considered a veteran. After some time away from playing on the beach, his skin had returned to the average fair complexion of Slavic people. Upon closer inspection, his features were not particularly refined, but the colors on him were intense—a combination of red, green, and white that gave off a dazzling feeling.
Another handsome player from beach volleyball.
Li Ling whispered to Qin Chunxiao, “Xiaoqin, is it easy to find handsome guys in beach volleyball?”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “Not all of them in beach volleyball are handsome.”
To be fair, Xiaole’s ex-boyfriend wasn’t ugly. He was tall and had a good physique. Coming from an educated family, he belonged to a relatively popular type when it came to choosing a partner. However, considering Qin Chunxiao’s aesthetic preferences, Xiaole’s ex-boyfriend’s face could only score 5 out of 10.
By the way, in Qin Chunxiao’s eyes, Chang Xiaole’s face could score a 9, belonging to the kind of person both men and women would want to call “My Waifu,” a spicy, ceiling-breaking type. Lu Xuandong and Qin Chunfeng were 10 out of 10, the only two perfect scores in Qin Chunxiao’s aesthetics.
This newcomer, Grigory, could score a 7, but his temperament was quite unique, giving him an overall score of 8.5.
Li Ling nodded in agreement, “True.”
The second new player for the club was named Ruslan. He also had green eyes and blonde hair, with well-defined features. He was the epitome of a traditional Slavic handsome guy, standing at a height of 6 feet 10 inches.
Qin Chunxiao seriously suspected that Nikolai had recruited based on looks this year.
Nikolai introduced, “Ruslan won a silver medal and the Best Opposite Hitter award at last year’s Junior World Championship. He’s the same age as Misha, 17 years old this year.”
Qin Chunxiao thought, “I know. This kid is Russia’s best starting opposite hitter in the Paris Olympics cycle.”
Nikolai had actually brought in a 17-year-old future national team starter. Considering the Hamster Club’s financial situation, Ruslan’s annual salary wouldn’t exceed 200,000.
It seemed Nikolai had once again made a very shrewd deal.
Ruslan seemed quiet. When Nikolai announced that the athletes should line up for a run, he wanted to stand behind Qin Chunxiao. Li Ling coughed and took the spot, so Ruslan stood behind Li Ling. He spoke softly, “You can call me Rus.”
His friendly attitude made it hard for Li Ling to put on a serious face. “Then you can call me Tulengchika.”
Qin Chunxiao turned around and said briefly, “Misha.”
Nikolai clapped his hands, “Start with 10 laps for warm-up, then move on to serving practice.”
Compared to Newton, who was always developing tactics involving swing hitters, Nikolai’s coaching approach during the Tokyo Olympics cycle was consistent: regardless of the tactics, players who trained under him had to excel at serving. Sometimes, they would rotate for six rounds, and every round players had to serve well. This was his personal ideal state.
This reminded Qin Chunxiao of the coach of the Hubei Provincial Team back in China. That coach also liked training exceptional servers, and You Ziyu was his masterpiece. Even now, his powerful serves were a weapon feared by many strong teams.
If the coach from Hubei Provincial Team could exchange ideas with Nikolai, they might quickly become good friends.
Coincidentally, Qin Chunxiao also wanted to practice his float serves. In the current state of the Chinese team, he was set to alternate between the receiving and libero positions. With that in mind, there would always be moments when they needed him to serve. Strengthening his serving skills wouldn’t hurt.
To enhance team cohesion, they only trained indoors for less than two days before Nikolai took them for outdoor team training in the suburbs.
During training, Li Ling noticed a bear staring at them from a distance.
Nikolai raised his hand and reassured, “Don’t worry, that’s the bear raised by the neighboring farmer!”
Sure enough, after a while, the farmer’s young daughter came and led the bear away.
How should I put it, every time Qin Chunxiao told himself not to have any stereotypical impressions of Russians, this group of Russians reinforced his stereotypes with their actions! Fortunately, the teammates also showed expressions of shock when they saw the bear, which made Qin Chunxiao felt like he was a normal person after all.
While the coaches were in an off-road vehicle heading to a nearby lake for fishing, they also saw a pack of wolves chasing a car. Well, Qin Chunxiao was in the car, and the wolves couldn’t catch up to the vehicle anyway. Considering he had seen bears and even his own bear before, he didn’t really care about the wolves. So, he excitedly raised his phone to capture the scene.
The teammates of the Hamster Club looked at Qin Chunxiao and couldn’t help but feel that something was off. They found it quite eerie to imagine being chased by wolves.
Danny and Soso whispered, “Why do I always feel like Misha is even more Russian than we are?”
Soso added, “You are Russian yourself, so don’t have stereotypes about your own country, okay? Regardless of Misha’s boldness, it’s not related to his nationality.”
However, when Qin Chunxiao later posted the video of the wolves chasing the car on his social media, no matter how many times he explained, “The wolves can’t catch up to the car, I’m perfectly safe,” there were still many people in the comments saying he was acting too Russian.
The official account of the Hamster Club responded to these comments: Boldness or timidity are individual traits. Don’t generalize to the whole group and create stereotypes based on this. Normal Russians wouldn’t get so excited about wolves chasing cars either.
After the official account of the Hamster Club appeared, the comments section filled with even more laughter.
Qin Chunxiao didn’t understand why everyone wasn’t paying attention to the shiny fur of the wolves. Frustrated, he closed his social media and lay on his bed listening to music.
After a while, Lu Xuandong sent him a message.
Lu Xuandong: [I’ve arrived in London. The fur of the wolves is so beautiful, no wonder you like them so much.]
Apart from this message, he also sent a photo: a tall man holding a Bonnie Rabbit, smiling in the wind, with a huge Ferris wheel in the background. It was the 135-meter-tall London Eye, located on the banks of the River Thames.
Qin Chunxiao immediately sat up and started chatting with Lu Xuandong.
